UN Special Rapporteur to Evaluate Human Rights Defenders’ Situation in Brazil

Geneva, Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, is set to visit Brazil to investigate the conditions and challenges faced by human rights advocates in the country. Her visit, scheduled from 8 to 19 April 2024, will encompass meetings with a diverse group of stakeholders, including government officials, civil society members, and activists, across several Brazilian states.

According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Lawlor’s visit aims to comprehensively assess the operational environment for human rights defenders in Brazil. Her evaluation will focus on the freedoms these defenders have to perform their roles, the risks they encounter, and the impact of the nation’s legal and policy frameworks on their activities.

Throughout her visit, Lawlor plans to engage with federal and regional authorities and representatives from various sectors, including indigenous communities, quilombola groups, legal professionals, and journalists, to gather a wide range of perspectives. Her itinerary includes travel to Brasilia, Bahia, Pará, Sao Paolo, and Mato Grosso do Sul.

The mission, welcomed by the Brazilian government, will culminate in an online press conference on 19 April in Brasilia, where findings and observations will be preliminarily shared with the press. The final report of this visit is expected to be presented to the Human Rights Council in March 2025.